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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23643889">The Answer</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/phantomthief_fee/pseuds/phantomthief_fee'>phantomthief_fee</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Self Indulgent Freckle Stories [13]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Bendy and the Ink Machine</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Fusion, Family Feels, Originally Posted on Tumblr</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 21:15:52</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,046</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23643889</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/phantomthief_fee/pseuds/phantomthief_fee</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Esther wants to find a way to reconnect with her brother again. Her answer? Fusion</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Joey Drew &amp; Original Female Character(s)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Self Indulgent Freckle Stories [13]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1603462</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Answer</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Wanted to write about the fusion between Freckle and Esther, <a href="https://queenofcats17.tumblr.com/post/187827911650/heres-anat-a-fusion-between-esther-and-freckle">Anat</a></p><p><a href="https://tmblr.co/mJlb-vW43NaJNACvfy09WfA">@insane-control-room</a>‘s Johan is mentioned, as are the events of <a href="https://queenofcats17.tumblr.com/post/187975931360/spangle">Spangle</a></p><hr/><p>The second time Joey had fused with someone, he was afraid. He’d hurt the person fusing with him the first time. </p><p>
  <strike>Why hadn’t he listened to Johan? Why had he pushed so hard? He hurt everyone around him. He was useless. A monster. </strike>
</p><p>He’d put the idea of fusion from his mind, deciding he couldn’t do it again. Not after what had happened to Johan. But then Esther approached him.</p><p>He was curled up on the couch after one of his nightmares. It was been him and Esther in the house. Robert, Isaac, and Rachel were out on a school trip and wouldn’t be back for a day or so.</p><p>“Joey?” Esther’s voice from the kitchen. “I’m making tea. Do you want some?”</p><p>“Mm.” </p><p>“That’s not an answer.”</p><p>“Yes.”</p><p>“Peppermint?”</p><p>“Yeah.”</p><p>Esther emerged a few minutes later with two mugs of peppermint tea.</p><p>“I made sure to put lots of honey in yours,” Esther said as she set the tea down on the table in front of him.</p><p>“Thanks,” Joey mumbled, sitting up and reaching for the mug. It was still too hot to drink so he contented himself with just blowing on it.</p><p>“I had something I wanted to ask you.” Esther settled down beside him on the couch. </p><p>“Mm?” Joey didn’t pay much attention to her, focusing on his tea. The mug was too warm to hold comfortably so he just set it back down. Which was probably good given what Esther was about to say. </p><p>“I want to try fusing,” Esther announced, and Joey immediately stiffened.</p><p>“No!” He immediately blurted out. “It’s too dangerous! I’ll hurt you!”</p><p>After the last time with Johan…He was sure he’d just hurt whoever he fused with. It had been his fault that the fusion had hurt so much. If he fused with someone again, it was sure to be painful for both of them. He hurt everyone he loved. </p><p>He didn’t want to hurt Esther. He’d already hurt her once by running away, by refusing her help. He didn’t want to hurt her again. Not when she’d so graciously opened her home to him. </p><p>
  <strike>He didn’t deserve her kindness. He didn’t deserve to be loved. Not after the way he’d hurt her and their parents. </strike>
</p><p>“I want to do this, Jojo,” Esther said, taking his hand in hers.</p><p>“You don’t understand what you’re asking,” he said, pulling away.</p><p>“I know what I’m asking,” Esther replied. “I asked Johan about it. I know what I’m asking, Joey. I’m prepared.”</p><p>Joey scooted back, shaking his head. He was going to hurt her. He didn’t want to hurt her. Not again. He drew his knees up to his chest and he ran his hands through his hair and muttered to himself. </p><p>“Joey…” Esther sat down beside him, wrapping her arms around him.</p><p>“I don’t want to hurt you,” he whimpered.</p><p>“I know you don’t,” Esther said. “And you won’t.”</p><p>“But I will! The last time-”</p><p>“Johan explained what happened,” Esther gently cut him off. “It was only painful because Johan’s body rejects organic substances.”</p><p>Joey allowed himself to relax a little bit. </p><p>“Really?” He asked quietly.</p><p>“Really,” Esther replied. </p><p>Joey took a few deep breaths to calm himself. The thought of fusing still made him nervous, but if it had only been painful the last time because of the incompatibility of their bodily makeup, then it shouldn’t be a problem with Esther. He was mostly human and Esther was fully human. So, it should be fine.</p><p>“I…Alright,” he finally said. “I’ll try.”</p><p>“Thank you.” Esther smiled wide and Joey could see a reckless excitement in her eyes. It was the same sort of look she’d gotten when they’d been younger and she’d had some plan to get back at some kid who’d messed with her. He couldn’t help but smile as well.</p><p>Maybe this wouldn’t be so bad.</p><p>.</p><p>Figuring out how to fuse turned out to be a little difficult. Joey didn’t exactly know how it worked so he ended up just repeating the process he’d used with Johan. He and Esther stood together, holding hands, and repeated the spell. </p><p>Nothing happened the first two times they tried, perhaps due to Joey’s own apprehension. </p><p>The third time, however, Joey allowed himself to give in to it. There was no use resisting it. If it hurt, then it hurt and he would know not to try it again. Besides, he had nothing to hide from his sister anymore. </p><p>As the spoke the words a third time, their forms began to blend together. For a moment, Joey was afraid. What if it hurt again? What if he hurt Esther? </p><p>But there was no pain. Only a gentle warmth and a vague ache in their that reminded the both of them that they were no longer as young as they once were. The fusion was much more seamless than it had been for Joey and Johan, perhaps because of how similar the siblings were and perhaps <b>because</b> they were siblings. </p><p>Either way, it was over sooner than either of them had anticipated. </p><p>And there they were, standing in the middle of the living room.</p><p>“Did it…work?” The voice that came out of their mouth belonged to neither Joey nor Esther, but somehow both. They looked around, finding their vantage point higher than usual. </p><p>“I…guess it worked,” they said to themselves. It felt, strange. A tad uncomfortable. Esther and Joey had spent so much of their lives apart. It felt…strange to suddenly be so close. But it didn’t feel wrong. There was a comfort to it. A comfort neither of them had known since they’d been children.</p><p>“What do you think?” They asked the empty air.</p><p><em>What <b>do</b> you think?</em> Esther asked in their mind.</p><p><b><em>I…It’s nice.</em></b> Joey replied. </p><p>A smile tugged at their lips and they wrapped their arms around themselves, finding they had two more than they’d remembered. Four arms. Two for each of them.</p><p>“I missed you,” they whispered, tears welling up in their eyes. </p><p>Maybe they would stay like this for a while. At least until Robert and the kids got home.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Reference is made to the fic Spangle, which is also in this series. Check it out if you're confused.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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